Jeter had spent the start of 1993 spring training at major-league camp with the New York Yankee millionaires at Fort Lauderdale. He was then sent to minor-league camp.

A minor-league coach in the Yankees system, Thomson went to watch class-A Greensboro for a look at the No. 1 pick from the June before.

“He blended in, here he was 19 working out with 22-, 23-, 24-year-olds,” said Thomson, the Corunna, Ont., native who now lives in Stratford with his wife, two daughters and five World Series rings.

“I couldn’t find him during stretching and couldn’t spot him during batting practice,” added the Yankees’ current third-base coach. “I had to look at my roster sheet to find his number and then go and find him. I don’t recall his number, but it wasn’t No. 2.”

When Thomson found Jeter 22 springs ago, he saw a tall gangly kid, who had spent the previous season with the Gulf Coast League rookie-class Yankees and then Greensboro for 11 games.

The next year, Thomson was coaching at double-A Albany. After a coaching shuffle at the all-star break, he moved to Greensboro. There playing for manager Bill Evers, Thomson found future major leaguers Shane Spencer, Tom Wilson, Matt Luke, Mike Buddie, Ramiro Mendoza, a starter named Mariano Rivera and Jeter, on his way to his 57-error season (.889 fielding mark).

“When I got there, he had about 40 errors,” said Thomson. “If it bothered him, he didn’t show it. Not one bit. He went about his business like a veteran.”

Yankees scout Dick (The Legend) Groch, who signed both Jeter and Thomson, would call often to check on his first-round selection.

“Dick called about all his guys, that’s the way he is,” said Thomson.

Even at Greensboro, Thomson said Jeter was making backhand plays, leaping into the air and throwing strikes to first.

“He had one goal even then: to be the shortstop of the New York Yankees,” said Thomson, who moved on to hold various titles in the organization: third base coach at Triple-A Columbus, special assignment instructor, field co-ordinator, director of player development and vice-president of minor league development.

Jeter has been more than the Yankees’ every=day shortstop. He broke in on May 29, 1995, collecting his first hit the next night — a single off Tim Belcher — in a 7-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

The Yankees captain, with 3,316 career hits heading into his final season, has assured himself of a spot both in Cooperstown and in left centre of Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park.

Thomson joined the major-league staff in 2004 and is now in his 24th year with the organization.

“Derek Jeter is the most prepared, competitive player and the best leader I have ever been around,” said Thomson.

Jeter makes life easier for Thomson as a coach — such as when a player throws a mini-tantrum, tosses a bat or does something dopey.

“I’ll start towards a guy to talk to him, he’ll say ‘I got it.’ He takes care of a lot of things,” said Thomson. “It either happens in a back room or over dinner, but he gets the message across: ‘That’s not the way we do things here.’ No one is embarrassed. Derek has taught that.”

Over the years, catchers have told us about Jeter’s sense of humour — like the first time Josh Thole squatted behind the plate wearing a New York Mets uniform at Yankee Stadium in 2011.

“The first pitch is inside, the second pitch is up and in, he gets out of the way just in time,” Thole said. “He gets back into the box, jabs the barrel of the bat into in my chest lightly and says ‘Cut that out, I’m too old for that.’”

Thomson says having fun is one thing, screwing around is something else and “Derek has fun, he knows the difference.”

When he’s retired, what will Thomson tell his grandkids — the Thomsons have two daughters, Jacquie, 24, and Christina, 19 — as Jeter highlights come on TV?

“The greatest thing about Derek Jeter is that he is the same guy now as he was as a teenager,” said Thomson. “He treats his teammates, coaches, umpires, fans and media with respect. That’s the greatest compliment you can give a player.”

Canadian Yankees coach grateful for time with Derek Jeter

Jeter had spent the start of 1993 spring training at major-league camp with the New York Yankee millionaires at Fort Lauderdale. He was then sent to minor-league camp.

A minor-league coach in the Yankees system, Thomson went to watch class-A Greensboro for a look at the No. 1 pick from the June before.

“He blended in, here he was 19 working out with 22-, 23-, 24-year-olds,” said Thomson, the Corunna, Ont., native who now lives in Stratford with his wife, two daughters and five World Series rings.

“I couldn’t find him during stretching and couldn’t spot him during batting practice,” added the Yankees’ current third-base coach. “I had to look at my roster sheet to find his number and then go and find him. I don’t recall his number, but it wasn’t No. 2.”